Hydraulic saw mill long piston carriage feed



Feb. 4, 195sI A. C. ANDERQEGG ETAL HYDRAULIC sAw MILL LONG PIsI'oN` CARRIAGE FEED Filed Dec. 1, 1954 A'ITD RN EYS No, MK. WN.

Nm v. MN.

United States Patent ce f HYDRAULIC SAW MILL LONG PISTON CARRIAGE FEED Allen C. Anderegg and Phillip M. Anderegg, Charlottesville, Va.

Application December 1, 1954, Serial No. 472,432 8 Claims. (Cl. 143-108) This invention relates to operating means of saw mill carriages and elements thereof, and in particular, a stationary elongated cylinder, preferably formed of pipe or tubing, mounted in combination with the rails of a track of a saw mill carriage, a piston rod, also preferably formed of pipe or tubing mounted on a carriage and positioned to slide through a packing gland in the end of the cylinder and opening into the cylinder, and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinder whereby with a cylinder and piston rod positioned at each end of a carriage the carriage is actuated in the sawing and return operations with positive movements `and at relatively high speed.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for forming comparatively long cylinders and hollow piston rods for operating the carriage of a saw mill in which the force for actuating the piston rods is applied inside of the extended ends of the rods whereby the rods are shot outwardly without causing buckling or binding in the rods, wherein pulleys, cables, chains, racks and gears are eliminated and wherein the cylinders are designed for economical construction and long life.

Various attempts have been made to operate saw mill carriages with long hydraulic cylinders, however, with conventional cylinders having pistons carried by piston rods it is necessary to machine inner surfaces of the cylinders and it is also necessary to maintain the cylinders in alignment. To bore, or otherwise machine cylinders from 20 to 60 feet long or longer to insure a sealing t of a piston is a costly operation and owing to the rough use saw mill carriage-s and tracks thereof are subjected it is diflicult, if not impossible, to maintain such cylinders in alignment. Binding which takes place between piston rods and bearings or packing glands and pistons and cylinders retards the operation of the carriage and also increases the power required to drive the carriage.

With these thoughts in mind, long hydraulic cylinders have not been considered practical and are not used for operating saw mill carriages except in very rare instances. This invention, however, provides means for operating a saw mill carriage with force applied to the inner extended ends of piston rods secured to the carriage, and with conventional pistons on the inner ends of the piston rods omitted whereby uid pressure of the cylinders acts directly upon the extended end of a piston rod which is surrounded by lluid. Accurate machining is not required for this type of cylinder so that conventional pipe or tubing may be used and as there is considerable clearance between the rods and inner surfaces of the walls of the cylinders absolute alignment is not necessary.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means -for forming elongated hydraulic cylinders whereby tubes or rods forming piston rods and attached to a saw mill carriage maybe extended through packing glands into pipes lixedly mounted between tracks upon which the carriage is positioned so that the carriage is adapted to be actuated by pressure of iiuid in the pipes or cylinders acting directly against theV rods or tubes slidably mounted therein.

2,822,006 Patented Feb. 4, 1958 Another object of the invention is to provide means for operating a saw mill carriage with hydraulic cylinders whereby the saw mill is adapted to be operated by a single operator from any point adjacent a saw of the saw mill, or from any point desired.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide hydraulic cylinders for operating a carriage of a saw mill in which the diameters of the pistons are less than the inside diameters of the cylinders wherein wearing elements are provided in the cylinders for receiving and supporting inner ends of piston rods or tubes extended into the cylinders.

A further object of the invention is to provide hydraulic cylinders for operating a carriage of a saw mill in which regulating means is provided in connections from a source of fluid under pressure to cylinders for operating the carriage whereby the speed of travel of the carriage is directly controlled.

A still further object is to provide hydraulic cylinders suitable for operating a carriage of a saw mill in which the cylinders and parts .associated therewith are of simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, the invention embodies a saw mill having a track with spaced rails, a carriage mounted to travel on the track with wheels positioned on the rails, piston rods carried by ends of the carriage and positioned to extend below the carriage and from oppositeends thereof, stationary cylinders mounted between the rails of the track and positioned to receive the piston rods, packing glands in inner ends of the cylinders and means for supplying uid under pressure to said cylinders.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a track of a saw mill looking from the saw side of the carriage showing a carriage with the wheels on one side of the carriage positioned on a rail at one side of the track, sections at the ends of the track being broken away.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the track taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1, the carriage being shown in elevation.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through one of the hydraulic cylinders by which the saw mill carriage is actuated, parts of the cylinder being broken away and parts being shown on an enlarged scale.

` Figure 4 is an elevational view with parts shown in section illustrating the extended end of one of the piston rods of the cylinders with the parts shown on an enlarged scale and illustrating a bracket for connecting the piston rod to a transversely disposed beam of a carriage.

Figure 5 is a cross section taken on line 5 5 of Figure 4 showing a pair of rollers for supporting one of the piston rods.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section taken on line 6 6 of `Figure 2 with the parts shown on an enlarged scale and ,characters denote corresponding parts, the improved saw mill carriage operating means of this invention includes a stationary cylinder 10 positioned to extend from one end of a carriage 11, a stationary cylinder 12 positioned to extend beyond the opposite end of the carriage, a tubular piston rod 13 adapted to extend through a packing gland 14 in a tube 15 at the inner end of the cylinder 10 and positioned with one-.end 16 secured -to a'bracket '17 on the end of the carriage 11 opposite to the end from which the cylinder 10 extends, a tubular piston rod 18 mounted with a bracket 19 on the end of the carriage oppositeto that vfrom which thecylinder'lz extends, ithends of said ytubular piston rods ,opening into their respective stationary cylinders and a tcontrol -valve 20 for vdirecting iluid under pressure zto the cylinders, whereby with the fluid under pressure supplied ,to the cylinder 10 the carriage 1 1 is driven A from ithe position Shown in ,Figure 1 to theleftand with the fluid Supplied to the `cylinder 12 the carriage is driven -to the right.

This combination .of cylinders, piston rods,.and assaw mill carriage -is .designed t be applied tto .saw mills .of different `-types and designs :and thehydraulic ,actuating and control cylinders, as disclosed and described, are Particularly .Suitable for actuating :the `carriage in 'both the Asawingiand return operations. rilhefdierent elements of the .Santiago arealso adapted do tbe operated .by cylinders .and hollow .piston rods to'f the same :type and design.

'In'. the tdcsign shown in the drawing, a saw lrnill, which is provided with a saw 21, actuated by a motor 22'through a b e'lt 23 .and pulleys '24 and 25 and arbor 26 lis provided witha track fhaving rails 2 7 and 28.mounted 'on beams 29 and 3.0 :and the carriage 111 is mounted on the `rails with wheels 31. The carriage iis provided with head blocks S2 :and '33, and prongs 34 #for gripping ilogs, -as indicated ;b.y the `numeral `35, are adjustably rmounted on the head blocks.

The Acylinders and 12 are supported in blocks or bearings 36 on ycross members -37 of the -track and although tit Sis .preferred to make tthe blocks '36 of wood git willbe :understood that blocks of -any 'suitable material may be `lused.

With lthe :parts as 'illustrated in Figure 3, the extended ends of the cylinders are closed with caps 38 and the opposite Aends are lprovided with reducing fittings 39, the large ends '40 of which are threaded on the ends of the cylinders and the small ends 41 of which being threaded on the sleeves '15. The packing yglands 14 are provided in recesses -44 in the sleeves and the ends of vthe sleeves are closed with caps 4S. The fittings 39 are provided with nipples 46 to which fluid lsupply tubes 47 .and 48 are connected.

The tubular pistonrods 13 v.are preferably positioned to slide through openings in the blocks S0 although they may be positioned in recesses 4 9 -in such blocks, as shown in Figure 8, or the tubes may be secured between rollers such as rollers 51 shown in Figure 5, the rollers being mounted on lag screws or bolts 5,2 which are threaded in cross members 53, similar to .the members 37. The tubular piston rods may, therefore, `be mounted and retained in position by suitable means.

The ends of the piston rods 1 3 are Asecured by bolts 54 in hubs 55 at the lower ends .of ,the brackets 17 and, las shown in Figure 4, the bolts are 1threaded Iinto the ends of the piston rods and the pressure -of .the fluid for actuating the rods is applied to ends of the bolts. The upper ends of the brackets 17 are secured b y angle bolts 56 and 57 to channel shaped cross members 58, at the ends of the carriage 11 .the bolts -beingpositioned -in openings in a flange 59 and being retained imposition with nuts 6 0.

It will be understood that the cylinders 10 and 1 2 may be supplied with fluid under pressure from a storage tank, such as tank 61, or by .other suitable duid pressure means, and in ,the design shown, the Idevice is provided with a pump 62 driven by a belt 63 which is trained .over a p ulley 64 on the arbor 26 and a pulley -65 on the shaft of the pump whereby the pump is actuated 'with the operation of the saw.

A discharge connection 66 of the pump 62 .eietcrrnls4 4the cylinder 12; The valveA is also 'provided with la return connection or by-pass 68 that extends to the tank 61.

The discharge connection 66 of the pump 62 is provided with a by-pass 69 connected to the tube 66 with a tting 70 and to the tube 68 with a tting 71 and the by-pass 69 is provided with a control valve, as indicated by the numeral 72.

The by-pass 69 is provided with a further by-pass 73 having a relief valve '74 therein fand Y.the by-pass 73 is connected to the by-.pass 69 with .a ittting 75 which is positioned on ,one side .0f the valve 72 and with a cross tting 76 'which is positioned on gthe opposite side thereof. The tting 76 also provides a connection for one end of a by-pass "I7, :the .opposite `end of which iis .connected to the feed connection 47 -with .atting 78 and thc by-pass 77 is provided with a va'lve '79. 'A connection 80 is provided from the tank 61 to the suction side of the pump 62, forming a closed series of connections.

'The control `,valve 2 0 iis provided l.witha core :81 having passages y8,2 ,and 83 therein .andrthe'fcore is .adapted .to `:be actuated by -a hand lever 84 pivot-ally 'mounted by ya pin 85 at .one end of ,a .bracket 86 extended from the valve tbody and the 11ever'84 is 4pix/totally connected by Va pin l87 to ,a yolscz omthef end-ofrastem89ofthecore 81. It Wlill be V understond, however, l.that :a valve vof any suitable type may be @used for [directing tluid Iunder pressure alternately to the cylinders 11) vand '12 whereby the carriage 11 may 'readily fbe actuated 4to .travel in the sawing and return operations.

.As illustrated in .Figure 7, ,thecylinders '10 and '12 may be provided with Wearing elements and 91 positioned on arms -92 4and l93, respectively-of a support with the support positioned .in the lower side of A,at-cylinder 94, similarto one of the :cylinders 10 or 12.

As .illustrated fin fFigure 2, -the piston 4rods 13 of the cylinders are mounted in spaced relation on the carriage and the rods are -suspended 'lbelow cross members, such as the members 58, of the carriage.

vWith lthe cylinders 10 and '12 aligned with the piston rod 13, the carriage -is vfree -to slide back and forth with pressure yin the :cylinders relieved.

'To drive vthe carriage longitudinally of the track, the valve 20 is actuated `to supply uid under pressure, selectively, to one ofthe cylinders 10 or 12 whereby with the fluid .eX-tendedthroughout'thelength of the piston rod pressure -is applied tothe Ainner end of a rod so that instead of'pushing'the piston yrod from the cylinder the piston rod is drawn outwardly by the pressure of the uid, and with the Jfluid under a pressure of 1 000 pounds or more Athe 'pistons are shot from theends of the cylinders similar to a lprojectile redfrom a gun, and as the carriage approaches the end of its travel the pressure is rst relievedfand'then reversed whereby it is applied to the cylinder at the ,opposite end so ,that the carriage is driven 'back to its original position. 'The speed of travel of the carriage is readily Controlled by the valves, the by-pass connections and also by the pressure ofthe fluid.

'With the pressure ofthe fluid applied :to extended ends of the hollow piston rods of the cyinders, the thickness of the walls of the piston rods maybe relatively thin, as all tendency of buckling or binding resulting from driving a piston rod in Ithe conventional manner is eliminated.

The cylinders are adapted to be mounted in the track by other ,suitable means Yand the piston rods are also adapted .to be mounted on the carriage by other means.

Although the `cylinder Iis illustrated as being particularly adapted for vSaw mills it may also he used for other machinery and equipment.

It will `be understoodnthat other modifications, lwithin the scope .of the appended claims, may 'be made in the design and arrangement .of 'the parts `without departing from the spirit of .the invention.

What is claimed is:

L'Asawmill mechanism comprising a trackway on the saw mill frame, a carriage reciprocable on said trackway, carriage-reciprocating means including a stationary cylinder rigid and parallel with said trackway and closed at one end, said cylinder being provided with packing glands littable around a piston rod at the other end and with pressure-fluid inlet and exhaust means, a hollow tubular piston rod passing thru said gland and having an open end within said cylinder and a closed end out* side said cylinder and attached to said carriage, whereby iluid admitted to said cylinder moves said carriage by uid pressure against the closed end of the piston rod remote from said cylinder.

2. A mechanism as in claim 1, wherein a second cylinder and hollow piston, identical with the tirst described in claim 1, but arranged in the opposite direction, serves to move the carriage in the direction opposite that of the first arrangement.

3. A saw mill carriage actuator comprising a carriage mounted on wheels, a track upon which the carriage is positioned, stationary elongated tubes providing cylinders mounted parallel to and in combination with the track, and elongated tubular piston rods, the outside diameters of which are less than the inside diameters of the cylinders, said piston rods being closed at one end mounted on the carriage at said end and extended lengthwise into and slidably fitting in an end of the cylinders, the ends of the tubular piston rods within the cylinders opening into the cylinders whereby uid of the cylinders extends through the rods and the pressure of the huid is applied to inner surfaces of extended ends of the rods whereby the rods are drawn from the cylinders carrying the carriage therewith.

4. A saw mill carriage actuator comprising a carriage mounted on wheels, a track upon which the carriage is positioned, stationary elongated tubes providing cylinders mounted parallel to and in combination with the track, and elongated tubular piston rods, the outside diameters of which are less than the inside diameters of the cylinders, said cylinders having closed ends, and the closed ends of the cylinders being mounted on the carriage and extended telescopically into the cylinders, packing glands on the ends of the stationary cylinders from which the tubular piston rods extend, the ends of the tubular piston rods within the cylinders opening into the cylinders whereby uid of the cylinders extends through the rods and the pressure of the uid is applied to inner surfaces of extended ends of the rods whereby the rods are drawn from the cylinders carrying the carriage therewith.

5. A saw mill carriage actuator comprising a carriage mounted on wheels, a track upon which the carriage is positioned, stationary elongated tubes providing cylinders mounted parallel to and in combination with the track, and elongated tubular piston rods, the outside diameters of which are less than the inside diameters of the cylinders, said rods being closed at one end, mounted on the carriage at said end and extended telescopically into the cylinders, the ends of the tubular piston rods within the cylinders opening into the cylinders whereby uid of the cylinders extends through the rods and the pressure of the luid is applied to inner surfaces of extended ends of the rods whereby the rods are drawn from the cylinders carrying the carriage therewith, the ends of the stationary cylinders from which the tubular piston rods extend being provided with fluid supply connections.

6. A saw mill carriage actuator comprising a carriage mounted on wheels, a track upon which the carriage is positioned, stationary elongated tubes providing cylinders mounted in combination with the track, and elongated tubular piston rods, the outside diameters of which are less than the inside diameters of the cylinders, said piston rods being closed at one end mounted on the carriage at that end and extended into the cylinders at the other ends, wear elements mounted in lower surfaces of the stationary cylinders and positioned to support the tubular piston rods, the ends of the tubular piston rods within the cylinders opening into the cylnders whereby fluid of the cylinders extends through the rods and the pressure of the uid is applied to inner surfaces of extended ends of the rods whereby the rods are drawn from the cylinders carrying the carriage therewith.

7. A saw mill carriage actuator comprising a carriage mounted on wheels, a horizontal track upon which the carriage is positioned, stationary elongated tubes providing cylinders mounted parallel to and in combination with the track, elongated tubular piston rods, the outside diameters of which are less than the inside diameters of the cylinders, said piston rods being closed at one end mounted on the carriage at said end and extended into the cylinders, the ends of the tubular piston rods within the cylinders opening into the cylinders whereby uid of the cylinders extends through the rods and the pressure of the uid is applied to inner surfaces of extended ends of the rods whereby the rods are drawn from the cylinders carrying the carriage therewith, the ends of the stationary cylinders from which the tubular piston rods extend being provided with fluid supply connections, and spaced supporting blocks positioned in the track for retaining the stationary cylinders and tubular piston rods in horizontal positions.

8. A saw mill carriage actuator comprising a carriage mounted on wheels, a track upon which the carriage is positioned, stationary elongated tubes providing cylinders mounted in combination with the track, and elongated tubular piston rods, the outside diameters of which are less than the inside diameters of the cylinders said piston rods being closed at one end mounted on the carriage at said end and extended into the cylinders, the said elongated tubular piston rods extending below the carriage and mounted on the opposite ends thereof, the ends of the tubular piston rods within the cylinders opening into the cylinders whereby fluid of the cylinders extends through the rods and the pressure of the fluid is applied to inner surfaces of extended ends of the rods whereby the rods are drawn from the cylinders carrying the carriage therewith, the ends of the stationary cylinders from which the tubular piston rods extend being provided with fluid supply connections.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 8,160 Prescott Apr. 9, 1878 434,657 Cunningham Aug. 19, 1890 531,723 Hill Jan. 1, 1895 651,862 Kelly June 19, 1900 708,598 Thomas Sept. 9, 1902 951,976 Trout Mar. 15, 1910 1,047,600 Williams Dec. 17, 1912 1,165,121 Pratt Dec. 21, 1915 1,283,738 Green Nov. 5, 1918 1,371,862 Clark Mar. 15, 1921 2,569,842 Zweifel et al. Oct. 2, 1951 2,640,513 Watson et al. June 2, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 641,957 Germany Feb. 18, 1937 

